The Studio Chair

The ground has been shifting a bit in the art world over the past five years or so, and it has caused quite a stir. The "how to make a living" question in the arts is more open, and more confusing, than ever. Artist of all ages are faced with the of seeing "old school" models challenged and new independent "entrepreneurial" models arise: how do you choose the right path for you?

This is a question I am (naturally) heavily invested in as both an artist and educator. While I certainly don't have any conclusive answers, I have found a lot of great online resources, many of them free. Here are a few of my favorites from the past year. If you have any you'd like to add to the list, feel free to put them in the comments. (For my Facebook friends, this is going to be pretty redundant.)

Need an art coach? (hint, if you are just starting out, or just out of school, the answer is "yes." If you have been doing this for a long time but want to find out how to get your work to the next level the answer is "yes." If you have been doing this for a long time and have become jaded and cynical the answer is "no," unless you are willing to let go of your negativity) Here's mine:Klein Artist Works: http://kleinartistworks.com/here's another offer from an artist I know (a bit), Sergio Gomez. I haven't taken any classes from him but I think he would be great. There are also a lot of free resources on his site:The Artist Next Level: http://www.theartistnextlevel.com/A few "practical" links:CaFe (Call for artists): https://www.callforentry.org/Juried Art Services: http://www.juriedartservices.com/Live in the Greater Chicago area? : http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/

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About David

David J. P. Hooker lives and works in the greater Chicago area, where he is an artist and Chair of the Art Department at Wheaton College. He received an M.F.A. in Ceramics from Kent State University and a B.A. in English from Furman University.

His artistic practice explores the inherent value of materials, objects, and places, hoping to find ways to better connect and understand the world we live in. Recently he was awarded the Dunhuang Ceramic Residency and spent two months as artist in residence in Lanzhou, China.

When David is not freaking out over deadlines, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Elaine, his children Abbey and Samuel, and his dog, Mac. He also enjoys baseball, BBQ, and tennis—not necessarily in that order.​